Effect of natural sisal fibre on enhancing the condensation rate of solar still for sustainable clean water production

Abstract

The primary purpose of the current study is to assess the energy-economic (2-E) performance of solar still by reducing glass cover temperatures using sisal fibers. In this regard, the conventional solar still (CSS) is modified with a water-dripping arrangement integrated with sisal fibers on the top of the glass cover. The experimental analysis on conventional solar still without any glass cooling (CSS), Solar Still with only water dripping arrangement without fibers for Glass Cooling (SSGC), and Solar Still using Glass Cooling with water dripping and Sisal Fibers (SSGCF) is conducted under similar climatic conditions to analyze the impact of natural fibers on the clean water production of solar still. It is noted that the glass temperatures of SSGC and SSGCF are lowered by 16 % and 30 % compared to CSS. Also, the potable water productivity of SSGCF is enhanced by 104.5 % and 71.8 % relative to CSS and SSGC. Nevertheless, the productivity of SSGC is enhanced by about 19.1 % relative to CSS. Besides thermal performance, the price per liter (PPL) of clean water attained from SSGCF is $ 0.021 with a payback time (PT) of 3.9 months while the PPL of SSGC and CSS is $ 0.032 and $ 0.036 with a PT of 5.5 and 7.1 months respectively.